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Creating an antiqued, aged, or honed finish from polished marble or limestone
Cleaning - Problem Solving - Protection - Care
This "converting" treatment is done for any of these reasons:
- Polished marble is already installed and new design criteria call for a softer or more rustic look.
- Polished marble is available in the desired shapes and colors, but aged marble is not.
- Polished marble is so badly stained that it would require expensive professional treatment to regrind and restore.
- To improve traction.
To see how the aging/antiquing process is done using
 Fine Stone Restoration -
click here!
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There is no need for confusion or problems brought about by misidentification of a surface type, yet it happens all too often. If you would like to see why this is the case and how to properly identify a surfacing material .....
Click here
If you are concerned about doing it yourself - consider that the satisfaction of a project is directly related to your knowledge of what needs to be done and how. Who actually does the work is less important. We estimate that 25% of the usage of Aldon products is by "do it yourself" homeowners and we know they are happy because we hear from them.
| MATERIAL DESCRIPTION - With Identifying Characteristics
The following applies to the surfacing after it is converted to an aged finish as above.
- Wide range of colors and vein patterns.
- Results in a "softer" feeling stone of high character.
- Can result in harder areas (crystal veins, denser sections) having a slightly raised texture that enhances "feel".
- Can be done to any polish level of marble or limestone to achieve an increased aging/antiquing effect.
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ADVANTAGES TO THIS REFINISHED MATERIAL
- The great variety of colors, patterns, and veining allow for a wide spectrum of design options.
- Takes a highly reflective (harder, colder appearance) surface and turns it into a softer, smoother, warmer feeling stone.
- Can provide a range of feeling from soft elegance to bold statement.
- Converts to a surface with a wider range of sealing and appearance options.
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CONSIDERATIONS (All Are Preventable!)
(Click links for Aldon's solutions to these issues!)
- The process to reverse this treatment and restore a polished finish is expensive and requires a professional. Test carefully on an uninstalled piece of the same material, then a small test area first. Be sure the results are desired before proceeding on a large area.
- If the stone has prior deep scratches or etch marks that remain after treatment - click
here.
- If treated prior to installation and grouting, protect during grouting with "Grout Easy". Click
here to see how "Grout Easy" works.
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Following are recommendations for products you may need (in sequence of use ) for whichever of the categories applies to you. Please review each and mark your printed
worksheet accordingly.
Layed, But Not Grouted
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 Grout Easy
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 Efflorescence Treatment
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 Grout Residue
Remover
(should not be needed after using Grout Easy)
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Grouted, But Not Sealed
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Grout Residue
Remover
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Efflorescence Treatment
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.............Sealer ( see below )
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 Lifeguard
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Care ...........
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Sealer Has Been Applied
Important! - First -
Click here!
 Premium Stripper- ...........Cleaners ?
- ...........Sealer ( see below )
- Lifeguard
- Care ..........
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Regarding Sealing
After the conversion treatment, the stone has been transformed into a "honed" or "tumbled marble" type finish depending on how aggressively it was treated. Review both of those pages to decide which is most appropriate sealer for you.
* Note: will add another level of gloss to any of the above sealed surfaces.
It also prevents traffic wear to the sealers finish.
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